QBI Steps for Dementia Research

Supporting the Peter Hilton Alzheimer's Research Endowment Fund

Thank you for your interest in being involved in QBI Steps for Dementia Research and supporting the newly established Peter Hilton Alzheimer’s Research Endowment Fund this year. It has a strong community of supporters who are passionate about not only raising funds to progress dementia research but also providing support for those impacted by dementia.

The endowment fund was created by Robyn Hilton in memory of her husband, Peter, who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease 14 years ago. Peter’s journey with Alzheimer’s was marked by courage and resilience, and Robyn has honoured that journey by creating a lasting legacy in his name. This endowed fund will provide perpetual support for critical research into Alzheimer’s disease at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) – helping to accelerate the search for better treatments, earlier diagnosis, and ultimately a cure.

Past treks have visited:

2019 Three Capes Walk, Tasmania
2021 Kangaroo Island, South Australia
2022 Bay of Fires and Freycinet, Tasmania
2023 Flinders Ranges, South Australia
2024 Blue Mountains, New South Wales
2025 Snowy Mountains, New South Wales

The trek is designed to explore the outdoors as a group and share stories and create new memories together. Trekking experts from Walking Escapes, organise the trek and guides, ensuring everyone feels empowered to take on the challenge of the walks.

To make sure trekkers are well prepared and ready for the trek, socials walks will be held in the lead up to the walk and participants are welcome to attend.

Fundraising and raising awareness about QBI

Trekkers fundraise for the walk by reaching out to family, friends and their networks. People can give online donations through the peer to peer fundraising platform – Just Giving. Fundraising is managed through a central fundraising page which helps reflect a team goal and doesn’t shine a light on any one fundraiser.

Raising awareness about the important work that QBI is doing to discover new treatments to prevent or stop dementia, is also a beneficial way to help spread the word about QBI. We understand that not everyone is in a position to donate but ”friendraising” helps let people know about the research happening at QBI.

Main Fundraising event for the walk

In 2026, the QBI Lexus High Tea will be held on Saturday 10 October. Traditionally held before the walk, this is the main fundraising event. It offers trekkers the opportunity to invite their family and friends to an event and enjoy an afternoon of food, flowing French champagne and good conversation.

Each of the trekkers contribute gifts to be included in the Lucky Envelope Draw, raffle or the auction prize. Trekkers can ask organisations, businesses in their local community and friends or donate the items themselves. In preparation for the event a wrapping day is held at Lexus at Indooroopilly where trekkers are invited to attend and help wrap the gifts ahead of the event.

History of how Lexus became involved and the High Tea was born

In 2018, QBI and Lexus of Brisbane came together by supporting dementia research through the Lexus Owner’s Gift. This generous $25,000 donation purchased an electroporator, which is an integral piece of technology used by QBI researchers. As a family owned and operated business, Lexus of Brisbane Group experienced dementia firsthand when a family member was diagnosed with dementia. Sisters, Allison Scifleet and Sarah Andersson took part in the Kangaroo Island trek in 2021 and have continued their support to the Alastair Rushworth Fund ever since, and now the newly established Peter Hilton Alzheimer’s Research Endowment Fund. Allison suggested the idea of the Lexus High Tea and this very successful event was launched in 2022.

Where your support goes

The fundraising has generously supported a PhD student who is studying dementia research at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute. In 2025, it will support the newly established Peter Hilton Alzheimer’s Endowment Fund.

Previous recipients of the award have been:

2022 – 2025 Montana Samantzis

Montana's research is investigating a form of non-invasive brain stimulation as a potential therapeutic for dementia’s, healthy ageing, and stroke. She is focussed on using mouse models of vascular dementia and healthy ageing to determine whether cognitive and behavioural functioning can be restored following brain stimulation.

2020 – 2022 Dr Igor Bonacossa Pereira
Igor’s research looked at the fundamental neuroprotection mechanisms that may allow the development of new strategies in the treatment of dementia. Igor studied how neurons co-operate to prevent damage to the nervous system that can cause disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Igor is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Hilliard Lab at QBI.

2017 – 2020 - Dr Joseph Benetatos

Joseph’s research shed new light on the how the abnormal build-up of a protein, tau, produces a signal to activate microglia (a type of glial cell in the brain) to prune synapses (the junction between two nerves). Understanding this signalling pathway is critical to developing targeted treatments to lessen synaptic loss in Alzheimer’s Disease, and slow disease progression and cognitive decline. Joseph is now a Post doctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Department of Biological Engineering at Cambridge, United States.

More information

If the trek is an adventure you would like to be part of, QBI and Walking Escapes can provide more information. Our past trekkers are also very happy to chat to share their experiences.

Thank you for your interest.

Izzy Koh
Advancement Manager
Queensland Brain Institute
E advancement@qbi.uq.edu.au